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Sound Excursions describes their carefully curated group experiences as "field trips for adults." It's easy to see why: every outing takes groups to a new realm of Washington, whether it's the frothy shores of Puget Sound, inland forests and mountains, or tables at Seattle's thriving restaurants. The events held at these diverse locations range from culinary workshops on topics such as sushi-making and moonshine-tasting, to adventurous excursions with whitewater rafting or kayaking, to laid-back themed party cruises. For many outings, luxury transportation is provided.

If you're a sports fan, Ocean Sports Gears Co. in Flushing is the place you want to be.
When you're out and about in the area, you'll love that this club has a restaurant to take care of any last minute hunger.
Who doesn't want to go out for a nice meal with buddies and your canine companion? Head over to Ocean Sports Gears Co. for a good time!
Parking is plentiful, so visitors can feel free to bring their vehicles.

Cleats, jerseys, helmets, and more — come to 46 Bait and Tackle in Palisades Park to suit up for your favorite sport or refresh your current equipment.
Hunting and fishing takes a lot of gear, and this store has it all!
In need of a mountain bike? Take to the hills after you get one here.
Whether you are looking for short- or long-term parking, you can find both options nearby.
If you just signed up for a new sports league, you will want to swing by 46 Bait and Tackle in Palisades Park and stock up on sporting goods.

As the morning or afternoon sun sparkles across the waters of Sheepshead Bay, Captain Joe Lind takes a deep breath of salty air and fires up the engines of his luxury catamaran, the Golden Sunshine. Though Lind's vessel can carry up to 350 passengers to private events on Rockaway Beach and the Jersey Coast, its spacious decks and cabins play host to smaller groups on fishing charters. During these trips, the Golden Sunshine's crew supplies prospective anglers with all of the equipment, tackle, and knowledge they need to reel in a hearty catch of fluke, which they promptly filet to ensure freshness. When they aren't scanning the azure waters for signs of fluke or Russian submarines, the crew leads tours to view fireworks celebrations and offers private charters on select evenings.

Groupon Guide

Despite its reputation for being a quiet, meditative activity, fishing can seem pretty intimidating if it’s your first time out on the water. But sometimes just knowing the basics about a topic can lead to a deeper interest, so we talked to three expert fishing guides from across the country to learn a few simple facts about their preferred sport.Check out these tips to learn when, where, and how to catch some of the most common freshwater fish. Chances are, you’ll want to go out and try it for yourself.Brown, Rainbow, and Cutthroat TroutRainbow trout.Where to fish: These spotted fish can be found in rivers across the country, but they’re especially common in Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming. “They’re a coldwater fish, so you’re looking for coldwater, mountainous areas,” explains Jay Baichi, the owner and guide at 5280 Angler in Denver.Best time to catch: Baichi loves fishing for trout in October, a month when the water tends to be low and clear. “The weather’s mild and the fish are getting ready for winter, so they’re eating,” he explains.Which bait to use: A fly, of course. But not the real kind—an artificial fly that tricks the fish into thinking it’s a food source.How to reel them in: “Presentation is the most important thing with any kind of fishing, especially fly fishing,” Baichi says. “Even if you have the right flies, the right tackle, the right gear––it’s all presentation.” He often sees people throwing in too much or not enough line because they’re so focused on catching the fish. The most important part, though, is working on “how to present the fly to the fish so they think it’s real and want to eat it.”Walleye, Northern Pike, Bass, and PerchNorthern pike.Where to fish: Daron Stenvold is perhaps a little biased when he recommends Lake Mille Lacs in Isle, Minnesota. After all, his own outpost, Fishermen’s Wharf Resort, is located there. Still, he makes a compelling case: it’s the second largest lake in a state widely known for them. Also, it lacks a thermocline, meaning temperatures don’t rapidly change from layer to layer within the water. “In the absence of a thermocline, walleyes and other fish species comfortably use the entire lake since it’s well-oxygenated,” Stenvold explains. This makes Mille Lacs a “prime spawning ground for billions of fish eggs.”Best time to catch: Stenvold recommends mid to late May, but he also loves fishing during the full moon in September and October. And Minnesota’s chilly winter is a boon for some; the first three weeks in January are prime ice-fishing time.Which bait to use: To catch walleye, Stenvold advises using red-hook live leeches in the summer and live sucker minnows in the winter (his secret is to drop them one foot off the bottom). For northern pike, “white, yellow, and chartreuse are great lure colors. Heavy in-line spinners or spinner bait is great to use along ledges,” he says. If you’re looking for an easier catch, “waxies, minnows, or worms work fine” for catching perch.How to reel them in: Start by stalking weedy or rocky areas in the bays. When it comes to catching walleye, Stenvold has an extra pro tip: “Let them take your bait for a few seconds before setting your hook and dragging them in.”Salmon and SteelheadKokanee salmon.Where to fish: If you can’t make it to Alaska, there’s still hope in the Pacific Northwest. “The best place in the lower 48 to fish for salmon and steelhead is Forks, Washington,” explains Justin Tenzler, the guide and owner of Olympic Peninsula Outfitters. He cheerfully refers to the region as “the last good stronghold for anadromous fish” (that is, fish that migrate up rivers to spawn).Best time to catch: “Salmon begin their journey to their home rivers in late summer and early fall, peaking in October,” Tenzler explains. “While steelhead will start to show in good numbers from January to April.”Which bait to use: Roe, especially if you’re trying to catch steelhead—the fish’s natural instinct is to kill other fish’s eggs.How to reel them in: Tenzler stresses patience over any tricks or special bait. “It takes a long time to learn the different skills and techniques,” he says. “Taking notes, keeping a journal, and watching weather patterns will help you more than any flashy new lure.”Ready to try it out for yourself? Discover fishing deals in your city with Groupon.Shop Groupon Goods for fishing gear:Read about more fall activities on the Groupon Guide:10 Reasons to Plan a Camping Trip This FallFive Underappreciated Hikes and Drives for Fall Colors

Nature. It’s so full of bird song and sunlight, all quiet and peaceful.
You’d never know that amid all that beautiful scenery, bears and humans are locked in a vicious arms race. The prize: all your favorite camping snacks.
Ten years ago, campers in bear country could string a bag of food up in a tree and expect it to remain safe, as long as it hung far from the branch. The practice, called “bear bagging,” went through many iterations over the years, with the ropes getting more complex and weblike as bears got better at figuring out how to cut them down.
Nowadays, though, it often doesn’t matter how many ropes you use. Bears in high-traffic camping areas are wise to the game. “If they see this rope going up to a tree, they do whatever they can to claw or chew their way through that rope, and a bag of food magically falls from the sky,” said Chuck Stark, a senior instructor at the REI Outdoor School for the Chicago area. “Bears are smart, and they’re strong, and they’ll do whatever it takes.”
Even metal doesn’t always stop them: in Yosemite National Park, they’re even known to rip car doors open to get to the food inside.
But don’t give up hope. Here a few other ways to keep your stash of Clif Bars safe from grizzlies in 2014.
Shop deals for camping equipment on Groupon Goods.
Use a Bear Locker
For all their strength and unquenchable love of Cheetos, bears have one weakness: their lack of opposable thumbs. “It’s really the one thing we’ve got,” Stark joked. That’s why major campgrounds in bear country often provide bear lockers—large, dumpster-like metal bins whose double locks are complex enough to thwart bear paws. “You really have to have a lot of dexterity to reach under there and release this locking system,” Stark said.
Bring a Bear Canister
Of course, sometimes campers will find themselves far from a campsite with a locker. That’s where bear canisters come in. The portable hard plastic containers—which look ”like a giant Nalgene water bottle,” Stark said—are closed with a screw and locking tabs that also thwart bears’ clumsy paws.
If a giant Nalgene doesn’t sound like a secure way to store your food, you’re in for a surprise. Here’s video of a very persistent bear who just can’t accept that he’s never getting into that BearVault:
Sleep Far Away from Your Food
As annoying it is to wake up to gnawed food bags, it’s much worse to wake up to a bear scarfing down trail mix at the edge of your sleeping bag. To avoid unpleasant surprises, Stark advised storing your food at least 100 feet away from wherever you spend the night. If you’re cooking, set up the kitchen at least 100 feet from both your food-storage and sleeping sites. Most of all, though, work to keep your campsite clean and free of food debris. Bears will go to amazing lengths to get at food locked in a container or car—they definitely won’t think twice about trespassing to get at food that’s just lying there.

Summer camp has always been a place for mischievous behavior—tipped canoes, frogs sneaked into mess halls, stolen kisses behind oak trees. But nearly a century ago, Camp Wandawega was a magnet for mischief of a whole different kind. The Elkhorn, Wisconsin, grounds were known as a safe haven for some of Prohibition-era Chicago’s most notorious citizens, including gamblers, bootleggers, and prostitutes.
But by the 1960s, with Prohibition long over and the resort’s madame/proprietress imprisoned, Camp Wandawega had done an about-face. It was purchased by the Catholic Church and reinvented as a church camp and refuge for Latvian priests fleeing Soviet occupation. Since then, it’s evolved yet again to its current incarnation, charming just about everyone as a chic destination for grownups looking to relive their childhood memories of hiking, canoeing, and roasting marshmallows. At night, guests retire to cabins, tepees, and Boy Scout tents, all decked out with rustic and vintage decor worthy of a Moonrise Kingdom set. But if you can’t make it to Elkhorn this summer, here are some items that’ll help you put a little Wandawega into your own space.
1. Boho iron bed; Sundance ($1,795+)
2. Threshold Annandale area rug; Target ($99+)
3. Hudson’s Bay blanket; maevenvintage ($150)
4. Vintage mounted deer antlers; In with the Old ($58)
5. Paint-by-number sailboat scene; Underground Vintage ($20)
6. Rattan Agen chair; Ikea ($34.99)
7. Paint-by-number canoeing scene; New Life Vintage RVs ($48)
8. Pair of oval embroidery pictures; Simplychi ($5)
9. Antique tennis racket; Wandawega Camp Store (similar: $25 at Vintage 5)
10. Red Kamik Olivia boots; Zappos ($50)
11. Black vintage-style LED camping lantern; Valley Seek ($7.23)
12. Antique leather suitcase; Sweet Daphne Vintage ($140)
Looking for more home-decor inspiration? Check out Groupon's local interior-design deals.
Top photos courtesy of Camp Wandawega